Randal's Story:

I'll start this in Hawaii in May 2001:

It was May 3rd 2001 when I traveled to the big island of in our beautiful 50th state. After many years in the Construction field I had started traveling pretty much full time in 1999. I was burned out and needed a break. I would probably still be in Hawaii too but a year earlier I had met this beautiful young brunette woman with the cutest dimples and such lovely dark brown eyes. Although much younger than myself, I was drawn to her and I was starting to fall in love.

It had been a year since I had met the young woman but still I would think of her from time to time, and not just because she was physically attractive to me, there is more to it; in just a month or so I was going to be in for one of the shocks of my life.

Hawaii was fun and I was like a kid in a candy store. Fishing, snorkeling, and beautiful country. The interesting village of Pahoa, farmers markets, the list goes on and on.

I had found a nice church and was enjoying the services and meeting a lot of nice people, I was just as happy as a pig in shit! Then one afternoon I was out and about shopping in Hilo, I went to K.T.A supermarket, Walmart and had lunch at Island Naturals.

I arrived back at my apartment and started bringing the supplies and groceries inside. The TV was on and tuned to CNN.

There was a middle aged couple on the show talking about their missing daughter, I wasn't following the show in detail, but I remember the mother saying that there was a missing children's organization which would not help because their daughter had turned 18 before going missing.

Then four pictures were displayed on the screen. I locked on to the one picture that I

Believe was displayed in the lower right hand corner. I froze in my tracks and said silently to myself "Randal, where do you know that girl from?"

Now, I am only in Hawaii physically, mentally I am in Granada, Nicaragua. It was her and now I am scrambling like Hell to find a pen and get the phone number to call.

I reached a lady on the phone whom I know by the first name of Erin. I gave her the basic information she asked for and agreed to stay in touch. I believe it was in our second phone conversation that she made the statement that "this was the only thing that had ever made sense to her".

Erin said she would have the police contact me in four or five days or so, I couldn't wait that long. I finally reached both the Officers Bradley and Mahanay with the Oakland PD.

I really wanted and needed to speak with Kristen's parents, but I didn't have the phone number yet and even if I did, I didn't know what was appropriate for the situation.

After I obtained Mr. and Mrs. Modafferis' phone # I contacted my Church and said I needed to speak with either Pastor Loren or Pastor Jerry . Jerry the asst. Church minister met me and invited me into his office but we ended up just talking in the chapel. He agreed that I should speak with the parents if I felt the need to do so. But when I said it was difficult he replied that he would call the Modafferis and give them my phone#. By the time I got home Debbie had already called. I then called Charlotte and spoke to the Modafferis for the first time. Bob was on the extension and would talk some but Debbie had the questions, how tall was this girl, how much did she weight, light or dark brown hair, thick or thin , straight or curly and so on.

I'm in Costa Rica staying with a long time friend in San Jose. We're planning a trip for his daughter's wedding on May 27th in Baton Rouge, La. but don't know if the wedding might get delayed and I'm running short of time on my visa. My friend suggest I leave Costa Rica for 72 hours to Nicaragua knowing that will secure me another 90 day Costa Rican visa. I said, "I've never been to Nicaragua, sounds good, can you recommend a good spot to stay."

He said "Go to Granada and stay at Another Night in Paradise. A good place, owned by Benito Rasmussin, a retired USAF pilot. "When I arrive in Granada, Another Night in Paradise is full. I hoofed it up the street and saw a sign "Hospedaje Granada" Pool!! That's it...It's so hot! A refined looking middle-aged Latino lad checks me in and I hop into the pool, cool down, then retire to my room for a late afternoon nap.

I awoke in early evening, the sun is down but it's still very hot. I dress and head out for dinner. The Latino lady is gone but the small bar is open near the entrance inside the guesthouse. There is a young Latino man behind the bar and several others sitting around sipping on cold drinks. I order a beer and ask where the manager is. The young man replies, "I am Lawrence. I'm the owner. The lady that checked you in is my mom. I said "Nice to meet you. Can you recommend a good restaurant to me?" He did. I believe there were the German girls, the guy from Spain and the man who worked for the Peace Corps. Kristen was setting in a wicker rocking chair with a drink.

On my way out to dinner I think I just said "Hi", but she didn't respond the way I remember. When I got back from dinner there was another bar tender. He was a Gringo. I sat down for a nightcap. This bartender introduced himself as Chauncey. He had a funny hairdo. He asked me if I wanted to shoot a game of pool. I replied "No" saying I was too tired and would take him up on a game later. I finished my drink and headed for my room.

I glanced at the pretty brunette but she turned her head so I didn't say anything just retired for the night. The next few days I would awake early to beat the heat, get out and go to the public market to shop and the architecture of Granada was of interest to me also, then I would do side trips to Isle Omatepe, San Juan del Sur and Masaya. Then one day I had walked fro Hospedeja Granada down to the tourist zone on Lake Nicaragua, I was almost back to the guesthouse when I looked to my right and across the street. Kristen was setting on the steps in front of La Italiano with Nadina and Valentina. I just noticed them. Don't quote me on the date but I went back over to Costa Rica for awhile (Bob and Debbie had my passport records from May, 2000).

There was a festival going on in La Cruz, Costa Rica. It was neat! I also needed to take care of some unfinished business. After returning to Granada I shot that game of pool with Chauncey. Met Tito one evening and went to La Fabrica. I loved to play with Mitzy, Lawrence's dog. She was five (5) months old and a nervous wreck. Dobbies are high-strung anyway, but the all-night parties had the dog "freaked out". One night while playing with the dog, I got a little rough with her and her teeth broke the skin on my hands.

The next morning when I got up the dog was in the courtyard, it's mouth covered with white foam. I got a bowl of water in the bar and said "Mitzy, drink some water for me", she wouldn't. I summons Lawrence, "Get up. Get out here, I have a problem!!" Lawrence came out, got on the phone to his mom. While we waited for Norma to show up Kristen said, "I think you see a doctor". Norma just laughed saying the dog had ate a toad frog. Lawrence was waiting for the dog to turn six (6) months old before vaccinating for rabies.

Kristen was now friendly around me. She had heard Lawrence and me talking about my girl friend in Costa Rica, we had just broke up. Kristen's dress was very casual, like the rest of the crowd and although her clothes have seen better days, she was clean and neat in appearance and hygiene, but I could tell there was just something about this girl.

At first I thought she was in the Peace Corps and seeing things for the first time in life that might depress a young person but just yet I didn't have a crush on her, she was just interesting to me.

Several days before I flew out I walked up to the Alambra one morning, had a continental breakfast, people watched. I then headed for the public market several block away. I had just bought a pineapple and other items...then there she was! She had a sack in her hand.

She had, maybe, a mango and some bananas. She was cute and friendly, but not flirtatious. We started walking around the market looking at the sights. The deeper into the market the more intense it gets. Kristen seemed to be enjoying the market, but didn't say anything personal about herself. We just looked around and talked about what we were seeing. After an hour or so the heat was starting to get to us and I said "Can I treat you to a cold drink?"

We went back up by the Alambra to the patio bar, Kristen had a rum and coke and I had a cold beer. We may have been there fifteen or thirty minutes, but it was casual with small talk. After we finished our drinks, Kristen headed back to the guesthouse, I ran around town some more.

That evening at the guesthouse, the evening party was underway. Speaking to Kristen for a while my heart started to sink. I was scheduled to fly out of Managua around 7 AM on May 22,2000 on Continental Airline to Houston, changing planes there, and then the short hop to New Orleans to meet Ben Brown, who was flying in from Costa Rica on Taca Airlines. From there we would drive to Baton Rouge for the wedding.

It was about 9PM on May 21st, I asked Lawrence and Chauncey to wake me up no later than 3AM as I had scheduled a cab for 4AM to take me to the International airport in Managua. I dozed off until 1AM or so. There was a big-time party going on, people in the pool and probably a dozen in the bar, people playing pool, you name it. I just got up saying, "If you can't beat 'em, join em". I had my bags packed and carried them to the bar.

Chauncey was bartending and said he would have waked me at 3AM. I said, "Don't worry about it" and ordered a cool refreshment. Kristen was setting at a small table and I asked her if I could join her. I sat a couple of feet away from her across the table. She looked a little tired and distraught, but I thought it was due to too much partying. We started talking and I can't exactly remember how the conversation got to this point, but I asked her if she was a college student or Peace Corps worker.

She replied, "I quit college and I haven't spoken to my parents in a long time". I just didn't know the gravity of the situation. I figured there was probably a little family falling out. (this episode was like six (6) months or so).

I should have known or picked up on better when I said, "Kristen, I bet your parents are worried to death over you!" She just hung her head and had no rebuttal. She was just starting to open up to me. Had I stayed a few more day this might have been over with. She did say she needed time, trying to find herself, but she would be OK. I didn't want to leave here in a depressed mood, so I told her the joke about the duck hunter and the game warden. I got a smile and a little laugh out of her that made me feel better.

Chauncey now says he can't really remember the girl I'm thinking of. Lawrence said, "I met Amy and she was from Missouri. Mrs. Mojica insists Amy was not there when I was a guest.